On June 12, the Golden Knights signed a free-agent winger and it flew completely under the radar. Two months into the season, Brooks Macek leads the American Hockey League with 14 goals.

For many, Macek’s ascension to one of the more intriguing players in the Golden Knights’ minor-league system came out of nowhere, but a quick look at his resume shows the 26-year-old’s scoring ability shouldn’t be a surprise.

Macek spent the past five years in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Germany’s top professional league. He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the sixth round of the 2010 NHL Draft but never got an opportunity to play in the NHL.

His father, Ralf, was born in Geldern, Germany, before moving to Canada. Macek was born in Winnipeg but has dual citizenship with Canada and Germany. He grew up playing major junior hockey in Canada, playing nearly three full seasons for the Tri-City Americans before being traded to the Calgary Hitmen of the Western...